Falkland xenolagus
Falkland Xenolagus (Xenolagus subantarcticus) Order: Lagomorpha (Lagomorpha) Family: Hares (Leporidae) Habitat: Falkland Islands, flat and mountain sites overgrown with grassy vegetation. Studying of the biosphere of Earth of the neocene shows that in various places of the planet there are animal species which couldn't appear a natural way in this district. Their existence is result of activity of the man on a casual or purposeful introduction of species. Actually, activity of the man broke natural isolation of these or those districts and changed a course of evolution of the species making ecosystems. On the Falkland Islands during the historical era there were no large herbivorous mammals, and on islands the special type of tall grassy vegetation – tussock developed. In the neocene the vegetation of islands looks otherwise: the grassy cover doesn't reach big height and forms continuous extended turf. It is connected with that on islands the large descendant of the delivered rabbit – Falkland xenolagus lives. Xenolagus is very large species of the lagomorphes: its weight reaches 30 kg and more. Xenolagus has a massive constitution: this four-footed animal with the large head and rather short plantigrade legs. Unlike a rabbit, xenolagus isn't able to jump, and in case of need runs gallop, rising on finger-tips. The body of the animal is covered with dense fur which changes color on seasons. In summer the body coloring of xenolagus is grayish-brown with the dark chestnut strip stretching on the head, a neck and along a back. The throat of an animal is white, white coloring sometimes stretches for a breast and a stomach. In winter fur hair of an animal are longer and more light. Life in Subantarctic's cool climate led to reduction of the sizes of projecting parts of a body of the animal. Xenolagus has the short roundish ears, capable to turn diversely. The outer side of ears is black, on the base of ears is a white strip. The ears lifted up become appreciable is an alarm signal. The tail of the animal is also short, covered with fluffy wool, white from the bottom side. Xenolaguses are the sociable animals who are lodging and being fed in common. Because of the large sizes these animals needed the considerable territory for feeding therefore settlements of xenolaguses include no more than four-five pairs adult animals and their posterity. For housing xenolagus digs wide holes depth to 5 meters, coming to the end with the nested chamber. In holes of these animals often lodge non-flying sea birds cavescares which dig for itself the lateral tunnels opening in the main tunnel. Holes of representatives of one colony are in the neighbourhood, at distance of several meters between them. Animals from different pairs know each other on a smell and treat to «friends» rather tolerantly. Pair at this species is formed for one season of reproduction and breaks up by the next marriage season; the hole is in possession of a female. Often happens so that males of different pairs during a new marriage season simply pass to other hole within the colony. The newcomer from outside should be grazed any time together with representatives of a colony that they got used to its smell and presence. Usually young males pass from a colony to a colony whereas the females born in a colony, dig the holes near parental or occupy the released holes in a colony. Due to the integration of the sizes and increase of survival rate of posterity rate of reproduction of xenolaguses became much more slowly, than at their ancestors. The female of this species gives rise to once a year to a brood from 4-6 cubs. The newborn xenolagus weighs about 300 grams, but quickly puts on weight and in two weeks weighs about one kg. The newborn individual is covered with wool, but eyes and ears open only by the end of the first week of life. The young animal starts to pass gradually to an adult diet at the age of 3-4 weeks, but stops to be fed with milk only at two-month age. The sexual maturity comes in the first year of life; in a brood of a young female happens only 1-2 cub. Life expectancy reaches 20 years = by AlexSone = Category:Fandom Category:Prehistoric Category:Animals Category:Mammals Category:Lagomorphs